Assessing Risk of Drug Death in People with Problematic Drug Use v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing Risk of Drug Death in People with Problematic Drug Use: A Retrospective Cohort Study
IRAS ID
270550
Contact name
Emma Fletcher
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Tayside Health Board
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 19 days
Research summary
Drug related deaths in Tayside and across Scotland are of significant public health concern. Scotland has the highest number of drug-related deaths per capita in Europe, with more than 1,187 drug-related deaths in 2018, the highest figure in recorded history. Scotland has observed over a two-fold increase in drug-related deaths between 2008 and 2018. \n\nThis study aims to find out more about where we can intervene to reduce the risk of and prevent drug deaths in future. We want to find out who is at greatest risk of a drug related death by looking at the health and social circumstances of people with problematic drug use who are in contact with services, such as NHS specialist Substance Misuse Services and Police Scotland, to find opportunities to help them. We will be using the anononymised data of around 2100 people who were accessing help through specialist Substance Misuse Services at the beginning of 2014, and compare differences between those who have died and those who are still alive after 5 years. We will not be recruiting people directly to this study, rather using anonymised data that is collected routinely by these services. The data obtained from NHS services and Police Scotland will be linked, using an anonymised study identification key, to gain a full understanding and an overall picture of individuals with problematic drug use in Tayside. We hope that what we find will help service providers and partners, such as the police, to work together to put support in place earlier to help prevent the problems and lower the risks that lead to drug-related deaths.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
19/NS/0154
Date of REC Opinion
9 Sep 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion